"The Ghormengast Trilogy" has been sitting on my shelves for many years, but recently I was thinking it was time to read them. I will do so next year and take into account the recommendations of both of you.

As for the distinction between "fantasy" and "realism", I think there is a very fine gradation, going from the complete invention of worlds alien to our own, with different laws of physics and biology, to attempts to be as faithful as possible to what is feasible and credible in what our senses report as the "real" world. Come to think of it, novels like "Ulysses" may just be as close as you can get to "realism", with its attempt to record the stream of consciousness, the real-time flow of verbalized thought that is going on constantly in our minds when we are awake and not too stoned.

--Previous Message-- : Going back to your adult fantasy vs. : "child-like" fantasy, in my : opinion there need not be a term to describe : fantasy that involves "fairies and : dragons." You may not have cared much : for them, but Little, Big (fairies) and : The Buried Giant (dragon) are both clearly : intended for adults. I enjoyed both. (Well, : as you know I love Little, Big .) I : believe children would not understand either : of them at all. : : Whether realist or not, there are children's : books, YA books (shudder), and adult books. : There are good and bad (or actually a : multitude of gradations) of all three : (although IMO a good YA book is a real : rarity). Some children's books can be : profitably read again (or for the first : time) as adults. The Alice novels are a : perfect example. Some adult novels appeal : to children. A Christmas Carol comes to : mind. I don't know that I think it is : necessary to distinguish books by whether or : not they have fairies or dragons. : :